Taking It All In
by BenoightLangson
Summary: This is a One Shot and short continuation of the ending of the Season Premiere after Charles finds out about Liza's age.


**A/N: I don't own any of the characters.**

Charles was sitting at his desk trying to think about what had just happened. Edward had just told him that Liza was actually in her 40's, divorced and had a child in college and couldn't be trusted. In the time he has known Liza, he started to develop feelings for her. He still had feelings for her but did this news change how he felt? He was upset that she had been lying to him but he still cared deeply for her. He was tired but didn't want to go home because Pauline was there. He really didn't know why he told her she could move back in when he really couldn't stand the sight of her. He still hadn't forgiven her for walking out on him and the girls. He needed to tell Pauline the truth. He wanted her out and she could take her tell all book about their failed marriage with her. He called for a car and then he left to head downstairs where the car was waiting. It took him home and once he arrived, he slowly walked in and walked upstairs. He had run his fingers through his hair, so it was all messed up. He definitely was not in the mood for Pauline.

"I waited up for you."

"I wish you hadn't."

"Charles, is something bothering you?"

"What makes you think that?"

"I know you. Why don't we go upstairs and we can talk or just hold each other the way we used to."

"No. We can't do this."

"We can't do what?"

"This. Live together. I don't want you here. I want to formalize our divorce?"

"What? Why? Is there someone else?"

"I'm not going to answer that. I don't love you anymore. I stopped loving you when you decided to take your "marriage vacation". Did you really expect me not to become interested in other women when you left me for another man?"

"Of course I did but I'm back now and I promise that things will be the way they were before I left."

"Your promises mean nothing to me. You keep telling people we're back together just because I let you live here, yet I never wanted to get back together. You never take my feelings or the girls' feelings into consideration. It's always about you. It always has been. I'm the one that had to adapt my life to be both parents to those girls while you went to LA to do who knows what. I want you out of here tonight."

"Then I'm taking the girls."

"No, you're not."

"Why shouldn't I have my girls?"

"They are our girls and they are not leaving New York."

"I'm not either?"

"I want you as far away from us as possible."

"You can't mean that."

"Yes, I do. I am still very hurt by you leaving and I'm not so sure I can ever forgive you."

"What about the girls?"

"They'll be fine."

"Can I leave in the morning?"

"No. Tonight. I'll have your things sent to you. You can say goodbye to the girls."

Pauline went to pack some things and said goodbye to Bianca and Nicole before she left. Charles went into his bedroom to get ready for bed. The girls came into his room.

"Daddy."

"Hey."

"Did you tell Mommy to leave?"

"Yes, I did. I just don't want her here and I basically told her to go back to LA."

"We understand."

"I love you two so much. You know that, right?"

"Yes. Can we ask you something?"

"Of course you can?"

"Mommy asked us if you were interested in anyone and we said you had dated that Rahda lady but we didn't like her."

"She was kind of selfish. She didn't like how I seemed so concerned with Liza."

"Do you like Liza?"

"You won't tell your mom if she asks you again?"

"No."

"Promise?"

"We promise."

"Yes, I like Liza. Very much."

"Does Liza know you like her?"

"She does but I think she thinks your mom and I are getting back together. Your mom had it in her mind that it was going to happen but I didn't want to get hurt by her again. She left us once."

"We know."

"Go to bed, ok?"

"Ok. Goodnight, Daddy."

"Goodnight."

Bianca and Nicole kissed Charles and went to bed. Charles finished checking his emails and went to bed but he still couldn't get Liza off his mind. He decided he was going to confront her in the morning.

The next morning after Charles got the girls off to school, he met Bob for coffee and told him that he wanted to formalize his divorce to Pauline. He had had enough of her and he should have done this right away. After he met with Bob, he headed into the office. Liza was sitting at her desk.

"Liza, can I speak to you in my office please?"

"Of course."

Liza followed Charles to his office and they both went in. He shut the door and then they both sat down.

"Everything ok?"

"There are a couple things we need to discuss. Thank you for being honest about Edward. That brings me to the next thing we need to discuss."

Charles got out the folder from Edward and handed it to Liza. She opened it and then looked at Charles.

"Shit!"

"Would you care to explain all this?"

"I guess I have to now. I've been trying to tell you for a while but I always chicken out. I gave up my career in publishing to raise my daughter, Caitlin and after my husband left me, I needed to go back to work to help pay for school. No one would hire a 40-something, who hadn't worked in close to 20 years. My roommate thought I should try to pass myself off as a 26-year old. I had all my social media accounts and everything else online deleted. I got the job here and I was really grateful for that. I love working here. I met Josh and he thought I really was 26, so something was working. Everyone believed I was 26. Kelsey made me a part of her group of friends and I felt like I belonged somewhere. I still had my friends in New Jersey and when Empirical was going to help that bookstore in my hometown, the thing I was going to tell you was the truth before my worlds collided and my secret was out. None of them knew other than my friend Michelle knew about Josh. If you want to fire me, I guess I deserve it but like I said, I like my job here and there was one other thing that I never expected to have happen. That was meeting and developing feelings for you."

"I appreciate your explanation. I have to ask this though. Did anyone at all know about this?"

"I told Josh and I eventually told Kelsey. Neither of them took the news very well. Josh and I kept breaking up and getting back together because he couldn't make up his mind. He wanted a family and I told him not to let me stop that from happening. I was starting to feel my age with him at times. Shortly before he died, Kelsey's fiancé Thad found out, which is why I left in such a hurry when I was having drinks with you after you rescued me from Edward LL Moore. Caitlin's roommate at college is Bob's daughter, Rose and I that's why I panicked when I saw him at that meeting. He knows me only as Caitlin's mom and so does his wife. That's why I cancelled when you wanted to meet to talk about what had happened between us at the department store. I saw them with you and panicked. When I first told Kelsey, she was really upset with me but after we had gone to that retreat and Caitlin ended up needing an appendectomy. That ended up bringing Kelsey and I closer once she saw me interacting with my child. Jay Malick ran into me with Caitlin, so I told him and he said he'd keep my secret. I was really confused about my feelings for you but I thought you and Pauline were reconciling."

"In her mind we were but I wasn't the least bit interested because my feelings for you are real."

"My feelings for you are real too. I came close to telling you when we were making out in your office when I sprung Pauline's book on you. I wanted to tell you then but you didn't want to talk. I'm sorry you found out this way. It should have come from me."

"It's just a lot to process right now."

"I know it is. After that meeting though, I guess something happening between us is out of the question because we're not at the same level."

"We'll see what happens. I don't want to be accused of doing anything inappropriate. Just so you know, I asked Pauline to leave and I have started the divorce. I basically told her to go back to LA. She assumes there's someone else but I told her I wasn't answering that and I didn't love her anymore. She wanted to take the girls but I wouldn't let her. I'd like to keep all this between us for right now until I decide how I want to handle it. If anyone, namely Diana, asks, I was talking to you about the Edward situation. I don't think you will lose your job over it but I just need to take some time to process things and see if my feelings are still as strong as they were before."

"I understand. She has assumed there was someone else since around the time of the picnic. You were talking to some woman and she asked me if I knew who that was. I told her I didn't know anything about who you were interested in even though I did. She said she knew about Rahda."

"Thank you. I really appreciate that. I wouldn't want her writing a sequel and exposing us in the process. There was enough of me exposed in this stupid book of hers and honestly, I'm a little embarrassed by it. I know she knew about Rahda. The girls didn't like her and she didn't like that I was so concerned about you when you were in the hospital."

"You have every reason to be. I'd never do that though. I'm kind of surprised you didn't find out about my age then because my birth date was on my hospital bracelet."

"I appreciate that you wouldn't write a tell all book about me. Do you remember asking me to put your piggies to bed?"

"No! I was so out of it. I can't believe I asked you to do that. I'm so embarrassed!"

"I didn't mind."

Liza smiled at Charles and walked out of his office. Diana was standing by her desk.

"What was that all about?"

"Charles wanted to discuss what happened with Edward. That's all."

"Oh. Ok. Coffee now please!"

"Ok."

Liza went to get Diana her coffee and then they all went to their usual meeting in the conference room. Liza was happy that Charles knew her secret but she also knew not to get her hopes up about a relationship. After the meeting, Charles went back into his office and thought about the conversation he had with Liza. He felt relieved that she was actually closer to his age and she wasn't just wise beyond her years. Like he had told her on several occasions that his feelings for her would never change. So far, they hadn't and he was pretty sure nothing would ever change the way he felt about her.

 **Reviews are appreciated.**


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